Gulf War Veterans Needed for Wisconsin Study on Chronic Pain

An important medical research study in Madison, Wis. related to veterans of the 1991 Gulf War is currently seeking study participants.  The study is focused on chronic muscle pain and the impact of exercise -- positive or negative -- on that chronic pain.  

Full participation in Madison, Wis. will be over the course of 16 weeks, with one or more sessions per week.  

The study is being led by medical research Dr. Dane Cook and is funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  Dr. Cook is a former staff member at the VA's War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) in East Orange, New Jersey.  He also serves as an appointed member of the U.S Department of Health & Human Services Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee (CFSAC).  

Two other Gulf War studies are being separately conducted in Madison, Wis., both funded by the Gulf War Illness CDMRP -- one by Dr. Timothy Juergens on sleep disturbances in 1991 Gulf War veterans, and the other on chronic sinusitis and fatigue by Dr. David Rabago.  The sleep study is currently recruiting.  The sinusitis study is not yet approved for recruitment.  

Previous 91outcomes articles related to Dr. Cook's research include:

• New UW Research Provides Images of Brain Dysfunction in ill Gulf War Veterans
• Study: Exercise Alters Pain Sensitivity in Gulf War Veterans With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain
• VA PRESS RELEASE: VA Approves $2.8M for Gulf War Illness Research
• Gulf War Veterans Remain in Pain: Using fibromyalgia to understand why
• VIDEO: Conference on Gulf War Veterans' Illness

Please see the letter below for more information on Dr. Cook's currently enrolling GWI pain study.

-A.H.


*****
LETTER FROM VA-MADISON


Dear Gulf War Veteran,


We would like to tell you about the research being done at the William S. Middleton Memorial

Veterans Hospital in conjunction with The University of Wisconsin - Madison and invite you

to participate. This research is aimed at understanding brain function of pain and the impact of

weight-training exercise in Persian Gulf Veterans who served during Operation Desert Shield

and Operation Desert Storm and who experience chronic muscle pain. This work is supported

by the Department of Veteran Affairs.


We will compensate you $75 for each test session (7 total).  All travel expenses will be covered.  In

addition, volunteers who successfully complete the study will be awarded a $300 membership to a

gym in their local area. Volunteers will also be eligible for various fitness equipment prizes.


Generalized pain is one of the top three symptoms suffered by many veterans following service

during the Gulf War. Although there are no established treatments for chronic muscle pain,

exercise training is known to improve strength and fitness and is associated with numerous

additional health benefits. Therefore, this research is aimed at examining the effect of an exercise

program on the pain suffered by many veterans.


We are asking for VETERANS WITH CHRONIC MUSCLE PAIN to possibly participate in a 16-

week weight-training program with a personal trainer, with follow-ups at 6 and 12 months.


The study will be conducted at the Madison VA Medical Center and the University of Wisconsin

– Madison. As part of the study we will be assessing responses to painful heat stimuli on multiple

occasions while undergoing functional brain imaging scans in an MRI unit. At varying points

throughout specified sessions you will be asked to fill out questionnaires, perform a simple

mental task, and be tested for pain sensitivity to different temperatures ranging from warm to

hot. An initial 10-15 minute phone screening will be conducted to determine study eligibility.


YOUR PARTICIPATION IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. YOU CAN DECLINE AT ANY

TIME SHOULD YOU DECIDE NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS RESEARCH PROJECT.


If you are interested in participating or would like more information about the study, please

call us at (608) 262-2457 and mention “veterans exercise study on pain”.  If there is no answer,

please leave a message with your name and a phone number and we will return your call as soon

as possible. Thank you for your help in our effort to understand Gulf Veteran Illnesses.


Sincerely yours,

Alan J. Bridges, M.D.
Chief of Staff
Madison VA Hospital



***
STUDY FLYER

The Department of Veterans Affairs is conducting a study aimed at understanding brain function of pain and the impact of weight-training exercise in Gulf War (1990-1991) veterans with Chronic Muscle and Joint Pain

We are asking for patient volunteers to participate in a 16-week exercise study, with follow-ups at 6 and 12 months, conducted at the Madison VA Medical Center and the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Volunteers for this study may be asked to take part in a 16-week weight-training program with a personal trainer. We will be assessing responses to painful heat stimuli on multiple occasions and while undergoing functional brain imaging scans.

All travel expenses will be covered. Volunteers who successfully complete the study will be awarded a $300 membership to a gym in their local area. Volunteers will also be eligible for various fitness equipment prizes.

If you wish to participate, please leave your name, phone number and mention “Veteran’s Exercise Study on Pain” at:

608-262-2457

WE NEED YOUR HELP!